Macromolecular Research最新文献

Extrusion-based 3D printing technology has emerged as an effective strategy for bone tissue regeneration owing to its high precision and well-controlled pore structures. Polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polymer, is widely used to fabricate 3D printed scaffolds; however, its inherent hydrophobicity limits cell adhesion and proliferation. In this study, we developed 3D-printed PCL scaffolds with enhanced surface functionality by introducing a polydopamine (PDA) coating to improve hydrophilicity and introducing polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), a biologically active DNA polymer known to promote tissue regeneration. The surface morphology and physicochemical properties of the prepared scaffolds (PCL, PCL/PDA, and PCL/PDA/PDRN) were systemically evaluated and compared. In vitro experiments using MG63 osteoblast-like cells revealed that the PCL/PDA/PDRN scaffolds exhibited significantly improved cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation compared with unmodified PCL scaffolds. These findings demonstrate that PDA coating provides an effective platform for bioactive molecule immobilization, while PDRN enhances osteogenic potential. Therefore, 3D-printed PCL scaffolds functionalized with PDA and PDRN show great promise for widespread applications in bone tissue engineering.

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Schematic illustration of PCL scaffold functionalization by PDA coating and PDRN immobilization. This modification enhanced hydrophilicity, protein adsorption, cell proliferation, and osteogenic potential, supporting bone tissue regeneration.

The multilayer nanoparticles (Multilayer NPs) were designed and characterized for the application to chemotherapy with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects. Multilayer NPs are composed of a doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded core and a multi-shell comprising Solutol, lecithin, and Pluronic. Multilayer NP structure was verified using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and particle size analyzer. Biodistribution, antitumor efficacy, and tissue penetration efficiency were examined with tumor-bearing mice to understand the antitumor efficacy of Multilayer nanostructure. Finally, cardiotoxicity was evaluated to explain the reduced side effects of DOX.

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Biofouling significantly limits the long-term performance of porous membranes in biomedical and filtration systems. In this study, active polymer coatings were fabricated on alumina membranes using ternary blends of an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(ethylene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PE-b-PEO), and a water-soluble homopolymer, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). During film formation, the hydrophilic PEO blocks interacted with PAA, while the hydrophobic PE blocks formed the continuous matrix of the coating. After removing PAA from the blend, nanopores were generated and PEO chains were exposed on the membrane surface, resulting in a hydrophilic and nanoporous structure. The modified membranes exhibited enhanced water permeability and strong resistance to cell adhesion compared to unmodified alumina membranes. The amphiphilic composition also provided good mechanical stability and maintained wettability during continuous operation. These results indicate that the polymer-coated membranes can effectively decrease fouling while preserving structural integrity. The proposed coating strategy provides a practical route for developing durable and hydrophilic polymer membranes applicable to microfiltration and biomedical systems requiring long-term antifouling performance.

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We address membrane biofouling by coating alumina with ternary blends of PE-b-PEO and PAA. During deposition, PEO complexes with PAA while PE forms a continuous matrix; selective PAA removal forms nanopores and exposes PEO, creating a hydrophilic porous surface. The modified membranes exhibit higher water permeability, reduced protein adsorption, stable wettability, and mechanical robustness, enabling durable antifouling in microfiltration and biomedical use.

The increasing demand for biodegradable plastics calls for materials that not only degrade the environment but also exhibit sufficient mechanical strength for practical use. Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) is a promising candidate in this regard, but its relatively unpredictable degradation behavior remains a limiting factor. In this study, PBS-based materials were synthesized via in-situ polymerization by incorporating three additives: cellulose nanocrystals, citric acid, and polyethylene glycol. The synthesized samples were evaluated in terms of mechanical properties, hydrolysis under various pH conditions, enzymatic degradation using two lipases, and biodegradation in freshwater ecosystems. The differences in degradation behavior linked to the type of additive indicate that the structure of the PBS polymer is crucial in determining its response to hydrolytic, enzymatic, and microbial degradation conditions. This study advances beyond the simple degree of degradation and systematically characterizes the degradation pathways and rates that vary with each additive. These findings establish a fundamental mechanism for designing PBS-based biodegradable materials, and allow for the customization of their degradation properties according to the intended environment of use.

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Three-dimensional (3D) curved micro/nanostructures offer unique optical and mechanical functionalities, enabling applications in microlenses, anti-reflective coatings, and photonic devices. To overcome the limitations of conventional lithography in achieving high curvature, uniformity, and scalability, the Isolated Air-pocket Lithography (IAL) technique has been proposed as an innovative approach. However, previously reported IAL methods, operating as early-stage process models, have been limited to producing spherical structures with diameters in the tens of micrometers. In this study, we present an improved IAL process for large-area fabrication of high-curvature concave microstructures with precisely controlled geometries and feature sizes down to a few micrometers. By systematically tuning the processing temperature and the viscosity of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), we established the critical balance between bubble expansion and polymer curing that determines the final pattern morphology. Compared with the original IAL process, the improved method achieves a tenfold reduction in minimum feature size (from 50 to 5 μm), short processing time (~ 5 min), and excellent structural fidelity. This versatile and cost-effective approach enables scalable production of functional microstructured surfaces for applications in optics, photonics, and sensing technologies.

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The improved IAL process enables large-area fabrication of highly curvature concave microstructures with precisely controlled geometries and microstructure sizes on the order of micrometers. Systematic control of the process temperature and viscosity of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) establishes a critical balance between bubble expansion and polymer curing, which in turn determines the final pattern shape.

This study reports the design of a lightweight, flexible photothermal sponge by embedding melanin-rich ink into a porous PDMS matrix. The resulting light-absorbing sponge (LAS) combines the broadband solar absorption capability of melanin nanoparticles with the structural advantages of PDMS. The unique molecular structure of melanin, featuring conjugated π-system, enables efficient π-electronic transitions and nonradiative relaxation, leading to a strong light-to-heat conversion. UV–vis–NIR diffuse reflectance (DRS) analysis confirms broad and intense absorption across the solar spectrum, while SEM images show uniform dispersion of melanin without pore blockage. The optimized sponge exhibits over 90% solar absorption and excellent photothermal performance under light irradiation. This facile, scalable strategy offers a bioinspired route to solar-thermal materials with potential applications in water purification, steam generation, and thermal management.

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A bio-inspired photothermal sponge was fabricated by embedding melanin-rich cuttlefish ink into a porous PDMS matrix. The sponge exhibits broadband solar absorption and efficient light-to-heat conversion via π - π* transitions and rapid electron-phonon relaxation. With >90% absorption and 97.6% solar-to-vapor efficiency, this lightweight, scalable composite offers strong potential for sustainable solar steam generation.

Electronic devices that mimic biological synapses via ion doping mechanisms have been developed and these devices play a critical role in implementing artificial neural networks into hardware due to their biological relevance and potential for low power consumption and high energy-efficiency. In this review, we discuss operating principles and characteristics of representative ion-doped synaptic devices, such as organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and hydrogen doped rare-earth perovskite nickelate devices. Additionally, we explore their potential in the field of neuromorphic computing and sensing platform. The ability to control ionic transport in both organic and inorganic materials could open up many opportunities to advance the field of next-generation neuromorphic applications.

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Schematic illustration of biological synaptic signaling(left) and two representative artificial synaptic devices(right) that mimic this function through ion-doping processes.

The role of polymer side chains in dopant diffusion during solution sequential doping is systematically investigated using poly(3–2-methyl-2-hexylcarboxylate)thiophene (P3ET), a polythiophene derivative with thermocleavable side chains. Two types of polymer films, P3ET with intact side chains and side-chain-free P3ET-COOH obtained by thermovleavage, are subjected to sequential treatment with an acetonitrile solution of the benchmark molecular dopant 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) and compared. Spectroscopic and microstructural analyses reveal that although comparable total amounts of F4TCNQ are incorporated into both films, their spatial distribution and aggregation behavior differ markedly. In P3ET-COOH, F4TCNQ is strongly concentrated and crystallized on the film surface, whereas in P3ET it is less concentrated and only weakly crystallized. The difference is attributed to restricted F4TCNQ diffusion in the P3ET-COOH film, arising from the absence of side chains and minimized swelling. These findings highlight the critical role of polymer side chains in enabling efficient and uniform doping of conjugated polymers via solution sequential doping.

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This study reveals how polymer side chains govern dopant diffusion in conjugated polymer filmsduring solution sequential doping. By comparing a conjugated polymer with its side-chain-freederivative, this work shows that side chains are essential for efficient dopant penetration anduniform distribution. In their absence, dopant molecules localize on the film surface due to severelyrestricted diffusion.

Given the severe health risks, including fatalities, associated with the illegal adulteration of food with melamine, it is imperative to develop effective methods for its detection. In this study, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based sensor that more specifically and sensitively determines melamine levels in a single step was fabricated. Melamine-imprinted, and non-imprinted SPR sensors produced using the molecular imprinting technique were characterized by atomic force microscopy, contact angle, and ellipsometry analyses. The melamine-imprinted SPR sensor showed linearity in detecting melamine for the concentration ranges of 0.1–1 ppm (R²: 0.9744) and 2.5–10 ppm (R²: 0.9742) with 0.0031 ppm detection limit. The selectivity of the melamine-imprinted sensor was determined to be 3.19 times higher than that of cyromazine and 5.45 times higher than that of cyanuric acid, both are chosen competitor molecules. Imprinting efficiency was estimated by comparing the melamine-imprinted and non-imprinted SPR sensors, and the imprinting factor value was determined to be 7.04. In the repeatability studies, the melamine-imprinted SPR sensor could detect melamine for five consecutive applications without any deterioration of detection performance (RSD < 1.5). In the repeatability studies, the melamine-imprinted SPR sensor could detect melamine for five consecutive applications without any deterioration of detection performance (RSD < 1.5). Melamine detection sensitivity of the MEL-MIP SPR sensor in milk selected as real samples was tested and verified by HPLC analyses.

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SPR chip surface modified with molecularly imprinted polymer and plasmonic detection mechanism of melamine at the binding interface.